By Paul Hemsley The Queensland government has given councils the all-clear to take aim at “problem” flying foxes in an effort to mitigate the potential health hazards they present. The approval follows a long campaign by councils which demanded that the state government cut “red tape” that previously hindered them from shifting flying fox infestations. […]
3 December, 2013
By Paul Hemsley Queensland councils are to take full control of the state’s specialist infrastructure and engineering advisory service for local government. The Queensland Treasury Corporation has agreed to relinquish its stake in the successful joint venture, Local Government Infrastructure Services Pty Ltd (LGIS), and will hand over its management and its 50 per cent […]
18 November, 2013
By Paul Hemsley Queensland Premier Campbell Newman has talked-up the prospect of moving substantial parts of the state’s bureaucracy out of Brisbane and into regional areas in plans to entice half of Sunshine State’s population to live outside its south-east corner within the next 30 years. Dubbed the ‘Queensland Plan’, the long term vision aims […]
24 October, 2013
By Julian Bajkowski Flood affected councils and residents in Queensland are hoping that a landmark deal brokered by the Newman Government to give insurers access to free flood map data will place heavy downward pressure on premiums that skyrocketed after successive floods. Queensland Natural Resources and Mines Minister, Andrew Cripps, has announced that a much […]
17 October, 2013
By Julian Bajkowski The Queensland government’s unprecendented ban on giving IBM new business after the $1.2 billion Health Payroll software disaster will not be imposed on local governments and councils, the minister responsible for the sector had confirmed. Queensland Local Government Minister David Crisafulli has told Government News that councils will not be hit by […]
12 August, 2013
By Julian Bajkowski Councils across Australia will soon be forced to explain to ratepayers how much of their money was spent pushing the ‘Yes’ case for the proposed referendum on financial recognition for local government in the Constitution after the poll officially bit the dust on Sunday. The announcement of a 7th September election date […]
6 August, 2013
By Julian Bajkowski Queensland councils have cautiously welcomed the Newman government’s second budget for the state, breathing a collective sigh of relief that local governments appear to have been spared much feared spared funding cuts after natural disasters and falling revenue receipts depleted Treasury coffers. After a tumultuous first year that saw massive public service […]
5 June, 2013
By Julian Bajkowski When the chief executive of the Insurance Council of Australia (ICA), Rob Whelan, took to the airwaves in late January 2013 to take councils in Queensland to task over flood protection measures, it was the opening shot in a war of words between local government and the risk industry that had been […]
24 April, 2013
By Paul Hemsley The Queensland government has hit back over its controversial plan to ease restrictions on clearing by farmers and other property owners after the new laws again drew flak from councils over a lack of consultation and environmental groups opposed fearing threatened habitats will be destroyed. The sunshine state’s Minister for Natural Resources […]
19 April, 2013
By Julian Bajkowski and Paul Hemsley Australia’s local government sector has been left facing tough choices over how to deal with the release of Coalition’s policy on the National Broadband Network that would forgo fibre-to-the-premises in favour of recycling Telstra’s ageing copper lines in many regional areas. After decades of campaigning to get better internet […]
12 April, 2013
By Julian Bajkowski A leaked letter from Queensland Premier Campbell Newman to Prime Minister Julia Gillard reveals that the state government is behind the proposed wording of a Constitutional amendment pivotal to a referendum and does not believe the change will erode state powers over local government. A copy of the letter obtained by Government […]
11 March, 2013
By Paul Hemsley The Local Government and Shires Association of New South Wales (LGSA) has become the latest local government peak body to launch a Twitter account as part of its website redesign and relaunch. The LGSA has joined the Australian Local Government Association (ALGA), Municipal Association of Victoria (MAV), the Victorian Local Governance Association […]
17 January, 2013
By Paul Hemsley Local Government Association of Queensland (LGAQ) chief executive officer Greg Hallam has warned the state government that councils will be keeping a close eye on recent reforms to local government planning to ensure that sure communities are not unfairly slugged with development costs. Mr Hallam’s statement follows the passage of the Newman […]
4 December, 2012
By Paul Hemsley Local Government Association of Queensland President Margaret de Wit has welcomed the state government’s move to put councils back in charge of community planning by getting rid of a raft of state bureaucratic requirements. The Queensland government this week passed changes to the Local Government Act and Brisbane City Council Act it […]
15 November, 2012End of content
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